Plow tractor



w. L. GTLE. PLOW TRACTOR; APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, I916.

. 1,193,776. Patented Aug. 8,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEEP -lizaeweiuf 1' x.

W. L. GILE. FILQW TRACTOR.- APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22. I915.

Patented Au 8, 1916..

'2 SHEETS- SHEET 2- STA PATENT a wznnmir't. GILE, F LUDINGTON, MICHIGAN, assrenoa T0 susrus s, srnsnns, or

-- nunmeron, mromssm r stow-reaction.

Specification of Ietters Patent.

PatentedAugQS, 191s,

Application filed fiarch 22, 1916. Serial No. 85,874.

To all whom it may concert: I I

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. Gm, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ludington, in the county of Mason andv State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plowlractors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrif tion. v 1

The invention relates to plow tractors. In practice, considerable difiiculty has been experienced in guiding or steering a plow tractor and this, necessitated almost constant manipulation of the steering wheel by the operator, in order to keep the tractor traveling in line with a previously cut furrow, so that the lows behind rho tractor would be pulled a ong the proper course with respect to the plowed. land.

I have discovered that a plow tractor comprising a pair of coaxial traction wheelslittle or no attention to the steering of the tractor after the first furrow has been cut. This automatic control suflices even to cause the tractor to turn a corner with the corner of a furrow. This results in relieving the operator of considerable work and also ef fects'a very material saving in power, be cause of the regularity with which the tractor will follow the furrow, as a result of the automatic control.

- The object of the'invention is to provide an improved plow tractor in whichthe parts are constructed and properly disposed and balanced to permit the frontcarrying wheel, when traveling ina furrow, to automatically steer the tractor. L

The invention consists 1n the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more per ticularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings; Figure 1 18 a side eleva.

a short shaft 38 meshes with said gear. 'Shaft 38 is journaled in a housing tion of a tractor embodying the invention.

Fig 2 is a plan, parts being shown in section.

The tractor comprises a pair of traction wheels l and 5 coaxially mounted on an axle 6 a smtablesupporting frame 7 comprising s1lls 8 and 9, a plow-frame 10, a back-bar 11 and a front cross bar 12. The front of this frame has secured thereto a member 14 in which is journaled the standard 15 of a fork 16.111 which the front furrow wheel 17 is mounted.

Amotor 18 of any suitable construction is adapted to drive the transverse shaft 19. The driving mechanism between the traction wheels and the shaft 19 comprises difi'erential gearing of suitable construction which permits the traction wheels to travel at different relative speeds in traveling over the gbpund. The exemplification of this difiercntial gearing shown in the drawing comprises a ring or drum 20. on which are internally mounted beveled pinions 21, These pinions at. one side mesh witha gear 22 on a shaft'23 to which is secured a pinion 24;

meshing with an internal gear 25 on the traction wheel 4;. At the other side, pinions 21 mesh with a gear 26 on a shaft 27, to which is'fixeda inion 28 for driving the internally toothed gear or rack 29 on 'the traction wheel 5., Variable speed and reversible driving mechanism is usually provided between shaft 19 and the drum 20. This mechanism comprises a slidable high speed pinion 30 adapted tomesh with a gear a 31 on the outside of'dr'um 20, a low-speed pinion 32 movable into engagement with a gear 33 on the outside of drum- 20 and a reversing gear 3a. It will be iinderstood that any suitable variable speed and reversible driving mechanism mayv be employed. Y v

A gear Wheel 36 is fixed to the iipper end of the standard 15 and a worm wheel 37 on 36 nrmuntedfea the upper end of standard 15.v A rod 40 pxvatally connected to shaft 38 at 41 extends rearwardlyand isprovided with a steering Wheel 42 at its rear end. turning the steering wheel 42, worm 37 W1 operate gear 36 and standard 15 to turn the front furrow wheel 17 laterally to steer the vehicle on the road, or if desired to angle the furrow wheel slightly relatively to the traction wheels to cause the front wheel to crowd toward or away from land accihigling to the character of the plowed soil over which the tractor is operated. Housing 36 is held by a post 36" on frame-members 14, being provided with a slot 36" which presents a limited turning of the front wheel without manual operation of the steering wheel; The limited freedom of movement causes the front wheel to respond more readily to irregularities in the furrow. Steering rod -10 and steering wheel 42 are supported upon the frame so they may move lolnzitudinally to )ermit movement of gear 36, worm-wheel 3i and housing 36 within the limit permitted by stud 36" and slot 36.

The hitch between the tractor and the plow being pulled is placed at the proper level to avoid any tendency to lift the front wheel out of the furrow, and the weight of the several parts is distributed so it will be applied mostly to the traction wheels, leaving sullicient weight upon the front wheel to cause it to ride on the ground and automath-ally guide the tractor, but without excessive pressure.

The weight of the several parts of the tractor is distributed as exempliliedain the structure shown in the drawings so as to eausebolli of the traction wheels 4 and 5 to provide the proper or substantially equal tractive effort so that wh n me f Said wheels is traveling: in the ,furrow and the other npo n uuplowed land, the tractor will travel forwardly under the influence of the furrow and steering wheel 17. In attaining this result. both of the traction wheels 4 and 5 will be driven from the motor through dill'erential gearing: which permits thetrac- 1 tion wheels to be driven dill'erentially in reall spouse to the automatic control caused by the front furrow wheel.

in plowing, after one furrow has been cut around the lield. the tractor will be operated with the front wheel 17 and the traction wheel ll both traveling in the last furrow cut and the traction wheel 5 will travel upon laud. With the steering wheel 1? locked against rotation. the furrow will guide the wheel, and by reason of the differential gearing between the two traction wheels, the furrow will hold the front wheel 17 in its course and with sullicient force to cause it to control the operation of the differential geauing so that the traction wheel 5 travelin on nnplowed land will compensate for any irregularity in the furrow or in turning the corner of the furrow. As a result, the inrehtion exemplifies a plow tractor, in which a single front furrow wheel traveling ahead of one of the traction wheels in a furrow will automatically steer the tractor to cause it to travel in line with the previously cut furrow. When the tractor is not traveling with one side in a furrow, the steering mechanism may bd used to laterally swing the front wheel 17 to control the direction of travel of the tractor,

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may no modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 2-- 1. In a plow tractor, the combination of a pair of co-axial traction wheels at the sides of the tractor respectively, a single front steering wheel substantially alined longitudinall y with one of the traction wheels, said longitudinally alined steering and traction wheels being disposed at thefnrrow side of the tractor and adapted to travel in the. same furrow, a frame supported by said traction and steering wheels, differential gearing between the traction wheels and whereby both will be driven, and a motor mounted on the frame and connected to drive said gearing, said single front wheel when traveling in a furrow acting to automatically steer the tractor, said gearing causing the traction wheels to be driven at relatively different speeds in steering the tractor responsively to the front furrow wheel.

2. In a plow tractor, the combination of a pair of coaxial traction wheels at the sides of the tractor respectively, a single front steering wheel substantially alined longitudinally with one of the traction wheels, said longitudinally alined steering and traction wheels being disposed at the furrowside of the tractor, and adapted to traw el in the same furrow, a frame supported by said traction and steering wheels, differential gearing between the traction wheels and whereby both will be driven, a motor mounted on the frameand connected to drive said gearing, said single front wheel when traveling in a furrow acting to automatically steer the tractor, said gearing causing the traction wheels to be driven at relatively different speeds in steering the tractor respon' sively to the front furrow wheel, and means for limiting the lateral turning of the steering wheel.

3. In a plow tractor, the combination of a pair of co-axial traction wheels at the sides of the tractor respectively, a single front steering wheel substantially alined longitudinally with one of the traction wheels, said longitudinally alined steering and traction wheels being disposed at, the furrow side of thetractor and adapted to travel in the same furrow, a frame supported by said traction and steering wheels, differential gearing between the traction wheels and whereby both will be driven, y frame and connected to drive said gearing,

said single front wheel when traveling in% a furrow acting to automatically steer the tractorysaid gearing causing the traction heels to be-dnven at relatively different a motor mounted ,on the speeds in steering the tractor responsively to the frontfurrow wheel, a lost motion con- 1 nection for permitting limited-lateral turn- 10 ing of said steering wheel, and mechanism for adjusting and turning the steering wheel.

WILLIAM GILE. 

